Thailand searches for accomplices of Russian crime lord

BANGKOK, June 27. /ITAR-TASS/. Thai law enforcement agencies are searching for possible accomplices of suspected ringleader of Moscow region’s Shchelkovo-based gang Alexander Matusov who was arrested by police at a resort of the kingdom, acting commander of the Thai Immigration Bureau Sakda Chuenpakdi told reporters on Friday.

The head of the Thai agency noted that Matusov nicknamed as Basmach will be deported to Russia on July 1. On Monday, officers of Moscow Interpol Bureau who will convoy him will arrive in Bangkok. Matusov is being kept at a detention center in Bangkok. Thai law enforcement agencies are questioning him, trying to make him say where other members of the criminal group are staying in the kingdom, Chuenpakdi noted.

In his words, after Matusov’s arrest, the Thai authorities intend to intensify fight with criminals from other countries hiding in the kingdom. “Additional tough measures will be taken not only against Russians, but also citizens of other countries,” the chief of the Thai Immigration Bureau noted.

Thai police arrested Alexander Matusov on June 23 at a local resort for traffic rules violation. The ringleader of Shchelkovo gang has been hiding in Thailand since 2009. Law enforcers have found a false Armenian passport at his house in the suburbs of Thai sea resort of Pattaya. When he was identified, detectives found out that he was put on international wanted list by Russian law enforcement agencies back in 2010.

In the early 1990s, Matusov was a member of Izmailovo gang and then created his own Shchelkovo gang. Matusov’s gang included mainly residents of the settlement of Biokombinat in Moscow region’s Shchelkovo district. In the criminal world, Shchelkovo gang showed itself as quite cruel. “After gang ringleader Alexander Matusov is brought to a detective of Moscow regional investigation department, he will be accused of several attempted murders of business people,” representative of Moscow regional investigation department Olga Vradiy told ITAR-TASS.